Increasingly, our patients tell us they have been referred by their physician to have proton therapy. This is a good sign. It tells us that our colleagues in medicine see the evidence and the value of protons to treat many types of cancers effectively. Many more patients tell us they heard about proton therapy through a past patient, family member, friend or acquaintance. This is also a good sign. It tells us the experience during treatment and the quality of life following treatment give patients and caregivers the confidence to recommend proton therapy.

June is Cancer Survivor Month. According to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), more than 16.9 million people in the United States are cancer survivors who are living with, through, and beyond their disease. Cancer survivorship is increasing as preventive screenings and modern treatments become readily available in most communities.

Measuring progress is in our nature. As cancer researchers, we have a passion to make treatments better for patients. As radiation oncologists, nurses, radiation therapists, medical physicists and dosimetrists, we have a passion to create the best treatment plan customized for each patient.
With 15 years of experience, we continue to build on our expertise, excellence and high-quality standards that will continue to lead to new discoveries and improve cancer treatment for patients.
Whether patients are from the local Jacksonville community or beyond, they have the peace of mind knowing the care they receive is customized to meet their needs and follows enhanced COVID-related safety measures.
Some of the most effective cancer interventions developed in the modern age are prevention and early detection screening. Mammograms, PSA blood screening, and colonoscopies each have a role in improving survival rates for the most common cancers – breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer, respectively.

Nancy Price Mendenhall, MD, FACR, FASTRO

A University of Florida College of Medicine faculty member since 1985, Dr. Mendenhall served as the chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology from 1993-2006. She has more than 20 years of experience and specializes in the areas of breast cancer, Hodgkin disease, lymphomas and pediatric cancers.